Charlie Faumuina's Opta stats page
Dane Coles
Team: NZ
Age: 28
Position: Hooker
Caps: 31
Rating: ****
Surely one of the quickest tight forwards in international rugby - evidenced by recent long-range tries against South Africa and Australia - Coles has made big improvements to his scrummaging. An attacking weapon for the All Blacks.
Dane Coles' Opta stats page
Sekope Kepu
Team: Australia
Age: 29
Position: Prop
Caps: 58
Rating: **
The big Waratahs prop has a surprising turn of pace and a decent step - we saw it in his try against Fiji at this World Cup and he can be hard to stop close to the line - witness his try in his team's victory over the All Blacks in Sydney.
Sekope Kepu's Opta stats page
Leone Nakarawa
Team: Fiji
Age: 27
Position: Lock
Caps: 33
Rating ***
Good against England in the World Cup opener, Glasgow Warriors player Nakarawa was outstanding against the Wallabies in Cardiff with his long arms and sense of timing producing offloads even Sonny Bill Williams admitted he would be proud of.
Leone Nakarawa's Opta stats page
Tjiuee Uanivi
Team: Namibia
Age: 24
Position: Lock
Caps: 13
Rating: *
Uanivi created problems against the All Blacks in the lineouts in Namibia's World Cup clash at Olympic Stadium and the 2m tall lock, who plays for French club Brive, showed he had a running game against Tonga. Unfortunately for him he let slip a lineout take late in the game on Tonga's line
Tjiuee Uanivi's Opta stats page
Eben Etzebeth
Team: SA
Age: 23
Caps: 39
Rating: ***
Like many gifted tight forwards, Etzebeth played much of his formative rugby as a back. A late growing spurt saw him radically transform into a 2.03m, 125 kg monster in his final year at school and find himself at lock. He made the switch but retained all his skills as a ball player and also a sprint and high jump champion. No question he could play as a loose forward if he had to: can give and take a pass and still shift around the park.
Eben Etzebeth's Opta stats page
Richie Gray
Team: Scotland
Age: 26
Caps: 46
Rating: **
At 2.07m it would be sensible to assume it was Richie Gray's height that attracted attention on the field. But in actual fact it was his ball skills that made him stand out. He was such a natural with the ball in hand, so comfortable and also so mobile, that the Scotland selectors fast-tracked him into the team to play New Zealand in 2010.
His ability to dominate the lineout wasn't just about his height - he was a natural jumper but also a distributor in the air. He won a cap with the British Lions in 2013 and playing with the composite side, he was able to use their more open expansive game to showcase his skills.
Richie Gray's Opta stats page
Bismarck du Plessis
Team: SA
Age: 31
Caps: 74
Rating: ***
Bismarck du Plessis is clearly a big man. There is excessive power in his upper body and while he's aggressive, bullish and a bit of a beast, he's got some dainty skills. He's typically one of the leading offloaders in any game he plays - be it Super Rugby or tests. He has soft hands in the contact area and a general awareness that marks the natural ball players from the big lugs. His work at the breakdown is also testimony to his agility and strength - features that allow him to feature prominently when South Africa back themselves to play with continuity.
Bismarck du Plessis's Opta stats page
Courtney Lawes
Team: England
Age: 26
Caps: 40
Rating: ***
The England forward is a rangy, gifted type in the Troy Flavell mode. He's usually picked at lock, but can play - and contribute heavily - as a blindside flanker. His speed is a huge part of his game.
Loose-limbed he can cover the ground and once in the right place, he's confident he can do the right thing with the ball. He's light years ahead in terms of skill when compared with some of his predecessors such as Wade Dooley and Paul Ackford and is the sort of player the All Blacks would love to have - an athletic, rugged, ball playing lock-blindside.
Courtney Lawes' Opta stats page
Agustin Creevy
Team: Argentina
Age: 30
Caps: 42
Rating: ****
The Pumas captain is another tight forward who made a late transition from the back row. He was actually in the professional ranks as a flanker - only making the change on the recommendation of former Argentina coach Santiago Phelan. His background shines through his work - Creevy earning the nickname Sonny Bill when he was with Montpellier, such was his desire to offload with one hand.
Agustin Creevy's Opta stats page
- By Gregor Paul and Patrick McKendry
